Luobo Minghai gave Zichuan Xiu a strange look, as though he had already seen through Zichuan Xiu's intentions—he cautiously kept himself more than five meters away from Zichuan Xiu, which was precisely the distance at which Zichuan Xiu was most confident of striking.
"Who is in charge of defending the city gate?" he coldly asked the Central Army officers who had already retreated to one side. Though Luobo Minghai was a civil official, his uniquely chilling presence had always inspired great respect among the officers—or rather, great fear.
A Red Guard Captain stepped forward trembling. "This subordinate is. This subordinate is the commander of the city gate defenses, Li..."
"Open the city gates immediately!"
The Red Guard Captain froze. "But... that requires orders..."
"Hmph!" Luobo Minghai's snort was already tinged with anger.
"Yes, yes, this subordinate will carry it out at once, at once..." The Red Guard Captain nearly stumbled as he hurried out, utterly ignoring Zichuan Xiu's earlier order forbidding anyone from leaving the room. Clearly, none of the officers had ever even considered defying Luobo Minghai's accumulated authority.
Zichuan Xiu was stunned. What did Luobo Minghai intend to do? Let Di Lin's army into the city? But Yang Minghua had already ordered Di Lin to hunt down Ge Yingxing. He shouldn't have known that Di Lin's troops were still outside the city... Could Yang Minghua have other ambushers stationed outside?
Zichuan Xiu recalled Di Lin's assessment of Luobo Minghai: "Impossible to fathom!"
Luobo Minghai walked toward Zichuan Xiu, slipping a hand into his pocket.
Zichuan Xiu raised his guard, wary of a sudden attack.
Luobo Minghai withdrew his hand. There was no weapon in it, only an envelope, which he handed to Zichuan Xiu.
Zichuan Xiu accepted it hesitantly, stepped back several paces, and opened it to read.
"For the benefit of the family, the bearer of this document, Lord Luobo Minghai, is to act as he sees fit in accordance with my orders. All civil and military officials of the family must cooperate with him.
Zichuan Canxing
Imperial Calendar 773"
It was a handwritten personal order from Zichuan Canxing, stamped with the Chief Executive's seal.
The year 773 was the second year after Zichuan Xiu's crushing defeat of the Flowing Wind Army, and the first year Zichuan Canxing had assumed the office of Chief Executive—three years before Di Lin had infiltrated Yang Minghua's side as an undercover agent. The moment Zichuan Canxing became Chief Executive, he had already planted a spy beside Yang Minghua!
Poor Yang Minghua had considered himself clever, yet for six years he had known nothing: nearly all the civil and military confidants around him had been sent by Zichuan Canxing.
A chill rose uncontrollably in Zichuan Xiu's heart. Zichuan Canxing's depth and cunning were too terrifying! Only Luobo Minghai truly counted as his confidant; Zichuan Xiu, Sterling, and Di Lin were merely pieces on his board.
Di Lin's Far East Army camp outside the city.
"Lord Di Lin, the city gates have opened!"
"My lord, four red lanterns have been lit atop the walls!"
Captain of the personal guard Gopla said uneasily to Di Lin, "My lord, that doesn't match the signal we agreed upon. It was supposed to be three lights—could this be a trap?"
Di Lin smiled, showing his white teeth. "Other than Zichuan Xiu, who else would be dumb enough to forget even the signal he set himself?"
Gopla delivered a rallying speech to the Far East Army:
"Brothers of the Far East Army, Commander Di Lin bears the Chief Executive's secret orders to punish Yang Minghua's rebel faction! A true man wins merit and fame, leaving behind a name for the ages. Serve the throne, earn glory and riches—it all comes down to this one fight..."
Di Lin cut off Gopla's speech and roared, "Did you hear that? Kill anyone you see on the streets! Fight well, and I, Old Man Di, will promote you! Wipe out those rebels, and their women and money will all be yours!"
"Shout! Let those cowards in the Imperial Capital know that our Far East Army is—lions!"
The soldiers, their killing intent stirred by Di Lin's words, roared the Far East Army's battle cry: "Long live!" Like thunder, the rumbling hoofbeats surged into the beautiful, utterly undefended Imperial Capital...
It was eleven o'clock at night on March 26, Imperial Calendar 779.
What happened next would be recorded in history, becoming an eternal part of it...
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